Hat’s off to Cap Com in eighth race
Baby Oscar upsets Maryland’s first turf heat in 2025
Maryland Jockey Club hosts local fire companies
“Preakness Preview Day” on Saturday
LAUREL, MD – Eff Thirty Five is ornery.
How ornery is he?
“I didn’t want to ride him,” Sheldon Russell said. “I knew I couldn’t control him. I’ve seen him in the morning. I’ve seen some of his other races. I said [to wife and trainer Brittany Russell] not to put me on. [Jevian] Toledo, Victor [Carrasco], [anyone but me].”
In the paddock before Friday’s co-featured ninth race, a second-level allowance with an optional claiming range of $40,000 to $32,000 at 1 1/16 miles on turf, Brittany Russell threw her husband into the saddle and was rewarded with a picture-perfect ride.
Returning to Laurel after wintering with Brittany Russell’s string at Fair Grounds, Eff Thirty Five pinched back between horses at the start.
“He’s not a good gate horse,” Sheldon Russell continued. “He’s big and there’s nothing we can do in the post parade because, if anything, he warms up like he’s going to jump out there and do something silly. He comes out of the gate, and for the first couple of strides, he’s really lackluster.”
Sheldon Russell covered his mount up while saving ground on the first turn.
“He only really locks in, and it’s every race, the first bend, he just locks in,” Sheldon Russell said. “He was always traveling good, though. He relaxed nicely on the rail. Every time he got strong, I’d just throw his head over the rail, and he’d come back to me.”
Eff Thirty Five continued riding the fence as Point Dume controlled fractions of 24.44 and 49.60 seconds. He eased off the inside to split horses turning into the stretch, found a seam between horses while three wide, and bounded to the lead.
“There was a tiny little gap, and I went for it,” Sheldon Russell said. “I tapped him, and I haven’t had one explode through there [like that] for a while.”
Before you could say Eff Thirty Five, the horse was in front, and he charged under the wire 3 ¾ lengths better than Cyber Ninja in 1:44.10 over the firm course. Blame the Tux was a length behind in third. Then came Crossland, Worthington, Point Dume, My Imagination, Deposition, and Hay Chief. Regal Kingdom scratched.
Eff Thirty Five returned $3.40 as the prohibitive favorite.
“I think it’s the Yoshidas,” Brittany Russell said about Eff Thirty Five’s sire. “I think I’ve heard other people say that they’re just a little high-strung. He does really good at Fair Hill because he gets turned out, and they do a great job with him up there. He’s kinda just annoying, and he’s a big strong horse, so you add all that together…”
Eff Thirty Five was bred in Pennsylvania by Equivine Farm and was purchased by Stuart Grant’s The Elkstone Group for $62,000 as a yearling. He is a half-brother to multiple stakes-winner Newstome and stakes-winner Miss You Ella. The third dam, Hollywood Wildcat, won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
A 4-year-old gelding, Eff Thirty Five won his turf debut last spring at Pimlico. He enjoyed a three-race win streak that summer and into the fall over grass and synthetic against Pennsylvania-bred competition.
“He’s always showed glimpses of being a really good horse,” said Brittany Russell, who mentioned that Eff Thirty Five prefers to race with Lasix and thus might not be thrust into stakes races right away.
“He impressed me a lot, and I hate to ride him back,” Sheldon Russell concluded.
*Hat’s off to Cap Com in eighth race
Trainer Troy Singh and jockey J. G. Torrealba completed a double when Cap Com stalked and pounced his way to a gutsy 1 1/2-length victory over odds-on favorite Stronsino in the eighth race, a second-level allowance with an optional claiming range of $40,000 to $32,000 at one mile.
Earlier today, Singh saddled sixth-race winner Ready for Magic ($10.80), who Ismerio Villalobos piloted. Torrealba rode Double Airo ($9.40) to win the second race for trainer Robbie Bailes.
Cap Com won his second consecutive start after lasting by a nose against first-level allowance company on Feb. 22.
“He’s getting better and better,” Singh said. “After a long winter, he ran a lot last year. I gave all of my horses a little break, and now they’re starting to come back. The time off pays off.”
Cap Com settled in third behind Goodbye Note and Little Lance, made a three-wide bid on the turn, and then fended off Stronsino’s late kick. He completed the distance in 1:37.28 and returned $25.40 as the fourth betting choice.
“The secret with him is that he’s one-paced,” Singh said. “You have to make your move, and he’s a grinder. Torrealba just told me that when a horse comes to him on the outside, he don’t like to let anybody pass him.”
Grant bred Cap Com, but Singh claimed him for $40,000 on behalf of Euro Stable out of a sixth-place finish at Pimlico last year. Maryland-bred Cap Com is a 4-year-old gelding by Lookin At Lucky and has won 4 of 22 starts for earnings of $205.346.
*Baby Oscar upsets Maryland’s first turf race in 2025
The opening race on the Friday program was the first turf heat run in Maryland in 2025. Contested at one mile over the All Along Course, the $16,000 maiden claimer was won in gate-to-wire fashion by Baby Oscar ($29.80).
A homebred 4-year-old gelding by Air Force Blue owned by High Kings Racing, Baby Oscar showed no rust returning from a 225-day layoff for trainer Niall Saville.
He jumped right to the lead, was rated beautifully by jockey Matilda Burnham through fractions of 24.30, 50.17 and 1:14.72, then sprinted home to outlast favored Blind Eye by a half-length in 1:38.17 over the firm ground.
Baby Oscar started twice against $16,000 maiden claimers at Colonial last year, finishing off the board both times. He hails from the female family of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Action This Day.
*Maryland Jockey Club hosts local fire companies
At The Maryland Jockey Club (TMJC), the safety of our human and equine athletes and our valued patrons remains our highest priority.
The Maryland Jockey Club (TMJC) recently conducted tours of our facility to the local fire companies. These tours maintain familiarity to help first responders swiftly react to fire or medical emergencies.
TMJC would like to thank Maryland City, Fort Meade, Savage, Odenton, Rivers Park, and Laurel City fire companies for their continued service and support. Our strengthened partnership will help us prepare for many upcoming special events and the 151st running of the Preakness Stakes in 2026 at Laurel Park.
*Around the track
Live racing resumes Saturday with a special 12-race “Preakness Preview Day” program featuring five stakes. The first post time is 12:10 ET. The five stakes are highlighted by two “Win Today, See You in May” qualifiers. Any Triple Crown-nominated runner that wins the $150,000 Federico Tesio for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles will automatically earn a spot in the starting gate for the Grade 1, $2,000,000 Preakness, the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown. The $150,000 Weber City Miss winner for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles receives an automatic berth into the Grade 2, $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico on Preakness Eve. “Preakness Preview Day” attracted 120 entrants, ensuring solid wagering opportunities for handicappers and racing fans. There will be two “Value Pick 5” wagers on the program featuring a 50-cent minimum bet and a low 12% takeout rate. Both “Value Pick 5” bets, the first five races on the card and the last five on the program, offer carryover potential. The first time is 12:10 pm ET. The “Preakness Preview Day Handicapping Challenge” is a handicapping contest with a $500 buy-in, half of which goes to a live money bankroll. Players may participate at Laurel Park with on-site registration beginning at 11 am ET on Saturday or online via Xpressbet. The prize pool includes two seats to the NTRA National Horseplayers Championship, one to the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge, two tickets to the 2025 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on Saturday, May 17, and cash prizes. “Preakness Preview Day” also features a Family Fun Zone in the old Xanadu Area. The event will feature LED Mini Golf and a variety of kid-friendly games. The Fun Zone will run from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Admission is FREE and open to everyone.
